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Wedding Stationery Definitions A-I

When shopping for your wedding invitations, you will encounter some terms you may not be familiar with. Here are a few things you will need to know to make the right choice for your invitations:

Announcement-This card announces the marriage to those not invited to attend the ceremony or following a civil ceremony. It is usually printed using the same design, ink color and lettering you select for your invitations. Announcements are normally mailed immediately after the wedding, or upon the couple’s return from the honeymoon.

At Home Cards-A formal and traditional way for newly weds to inform guests and relatives of their new address as a married couple.

Blind Embossed-A raised design that is pressed directly into the paper without the use of foil or ink

Copy-The actual wording you are using for your invitations and enclosure cards.

Corner Copy-A footnote on the lower right or left hand corner of the invitation, where you can put information about the reception, alternate ceremony, information, etc. Not all invitations can be printed with a corner copy, so make sure to ask before ordering.

Debossed-The process by which hot metal dies are pressed into paper to create a depressed design on the front of the page and a raised area on the back of the sheet.

Deckle Edge-An uneven, feathery edge on a piece of paper. This edge is more commonly found on parchment invitations; however, other papers may also have deckle edges.

Die Cut-The process of using sharp metal rules to cut shapes and designs into paper, this includes cutout shapes and sculpted edges.

Direction Card-A card enclosed with your invitation that gives directions to the wedding and/or reception. This is a must-have for out of town weddings or if you expect a lot of out of town guests. They can be printed with an actual map or with just the written directions.

Ecru-Coordinates with an ivory color scheme.

Embossed-A process of creating a raised, bas relief image on paper. It is accomplished by pressing the paper against a three-dimensional die, creating the raised image.

Foil Starnp-The process of fusing foil to paper. It is accomplished by pressing a thin layer of foil between the paper and a heated die. The image on the die effectively cuts and heats the foil, binding it permanently to the paper. This is also known as "stamping" or "hot-stamping".

French-Fold-A sheet of paper that is folded twice to create a four-paneled invitation. Most parchment invitations are French-fold.

Front Panel Copy-A term we use to indicate that the invitation you have chosen has a place on the front for the bride and groom’s names and or a verse.

Hard Copy-Your wording printed in the font style and size as it will appear on your invitation and accessory cards. Printed in black ink on plain paper, a hard copy can be mailed or faxed.

Informal Note-A note card that features the bride’s name, the bride’s monogram or the names of the newly married couple on the front. It is blank inside for your personal handwritten message. It can be used as a thank you note or for short correspondence.